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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. track — a song
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. track — to keep track
  7. ball — a great time
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. bark — to shout
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. ball — a dance
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. court — of law
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. chip — to eat
  18. court — of a king
  19. court — for sport
  20. track — a path
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. craft — a skill
  23. craft — boats
  24. chip — for betting

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com